Under typical industry practices, animal owners may purchase carriers that are “properly sized” to their animal. The term “properly sized” refers to the industry-wide accepted concept that confined animals should have enough room to stand up and turn around within a carrier. This typically results in an animal being confined within a carrier incorporating the smallest acceptable floor space for each class-size of animals. Furthermore, the floor space is typically rectangular in shape, forcing the confined “properly sized” animal to lie with its body parallel to the long axis of the carrier in either the prone/prostrate position or on its side with its legs retracted against its body. Stretching of the legs and body by the confined animal is usually accomplished by periodically standing and stretching within the confines of the carrier or during periodic bathroom breaks when it is let out of the carrier, only to return to the aforementioned resting positions within the carrier. Such confinement of a healthy animal during relatively short periods of time is generally not considered to be problematic.
However, confinement over relatively extended periods of time (e.g., overnight, animal shows, long-distance transportation, security/safety issues arising from interaction between the animal and an unfamiliar handler, etc.) within a “properly sized” carrier of healthy, recuperating animals, and/or breeder animals may significantly reduce the comfort, and in some cases the health, of the confined animal. In other words, periodic standing and stretching within the carrier as previously described may not be sufficient for the comfort of the animal.
The use of animal carriers for the transportation and confinement of small animals (e.g., cats, dogs, etc.) is well known. More specifically, animal carriers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar structural configurations which have been developed for the fulfillment of various objectives and requirements. Examples of such carriers are disclosed in the following U.S. Patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,303,736; 5/1919 Speicher
U.S. Pat. No. 1,449,428; 3/1923 McGaffee
U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,772; 5/1991 Wilk
U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,426; 10/1991 Panarelli, et al
U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,041; 9/1996 Fairall, Jr. et al
U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,697; 9/1997 Rutman
U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,744; 10/1999 Rutman
U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,061 B1; 10/2001 Weatherby et al
U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,499 B1; 2/2002 Chrisco et al
U.S. Des. Pat. No. D453,592 S; 2/2002 Ross
U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,797 B2; 6/2002 Pivonka et al
U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,631 B1; 8/2002 Ross
U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,895 B2; 4/2003 Hoagland
U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,030 B2; Axelrod
While these devices may fulfill their respective particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents generally relate to animal carriers that are “properly sized” to the confined animal.
Several patents disclose expandable devices that may be used for animal transportation or confinement. For example, vertically-expanding devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,041 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,061. Devices that expand in a rectangular (front to back) manner are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,303,736, U.S. Pat. No. 1,449,428, U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,772, U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,426, U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,697 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,744. Devices that collapse for storage are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,797 B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,030 B2. Static non-collapsing non-expanding devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,499 B1, U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,631 B1, U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,895 B2 and U.S. Des. Pat. No. D453,592. These devices incorporate rectangular floor spaces.